Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

Okay, I'm feeling silly just asking this, but when you are winding bobbins, does one wind single-ply or the entire skein?

(I decided to kit up my first chart today, so went to Hobby Lobby and came back with lots of goodies.)

No question is a stupid question. I wind the whole skein on the bobbin. I then cut a piece when I need it and separate the strands from there.

What design did you kit up? Can't wait to see pics!

Generally you would wind the whole skein as Brown Eyed Girl does.

I've only ever met one lady who cuts the skein into lengths and then winds single strands pre cut to length but warning I've seen a few others try this and end up with a knotty mess.

And I think it's a great question!

BrownEyedGirl wrote:No question is a stupid question. I wind the whole skein on the bobbin. I then cut a piece when I need it and separate the strands from there.

What design did you kit up? Can't wait to see pics!

Thaaank you so much!

Um... the cute 'Ballerinas' design here:
http://www.dmc-usa.com/majic/pageServer ... signs.html" target="_blank

I'm hoping to give it to the dance studio where I've danced for most my life- and I saw it and immediately thought it was adorable!

I agree with the other ladies and I wind the entire thread on the bobbin and then whatever size thread I need I will cut the length and seperate it at that time. The pattern you have picked is very cute!!!!!! I am sure your dance studio will be thrilled with such a nice present.

I've always cut a length from the skein and wound just the cut length onto the bobbin, but I've recently found that towards the end of a skein when there's not much left, the paper "collars" keep slipping off. Fortunately I haven't lost any of the collars with the numbers on yet, but I'll be winding whole skeins onto bobbins from now on!

While we're on the subject, I've seen plastic "bobbin winders" that attach to a storage box and supposedly make winding easier. Do any of you use these and find them particularly useful? (Sorry wtalon for hijacking your thread with my own question! )

Best one to ask is Mabel Figworthy!
She winds the neatest bobbins....BY HAND!!

I use stitchbows.. no winding required
Faith

I used to have one of those bobbin winders. It was more of a pest then a help I wind my by hand. I slip the paper ends off, cut the number out and tape it to the bobbin, then I carefully find the middle of the skein and slip my left hand through and start to wind.

Great tip! Thanks, Rose.

I bought a bobbin-winder, but abadoned it after about a minute of trying- it winded too loosely and generally made a pain of itself because the floss would catch on the edge of the bobbin and...regardless, I'm now winding by hand. q:

I'm with Faith.. Stitchbows baby!! No winding required. (well, unless I buy a non DMC skein)

I do the same as Rose, except I've given up on cutting the number and attaching it to the bobbin.

I either write with a pen that doesn't come off on the plastic bobbin, or more recently I've started a DMC stash (previously all my thread was Anchor) and just bought the DMC numbered stickers.

But I do wind it whole skein, finding the middle so it doesn't knot up. Extra skeins of the same color I keep in a ziploc bag and just refill the bobbins as needed.

Nachstenliebe wrote:I use stitchbows.. no winding required
Faith

lol me too

I use the plastic bobbin winder.

I always cut my thread, separate it and then I'm winding it... When I first did this I just thought that would be the way to it is done. I never have any problems with any knot or something. It just takes a while but after some time I started to find it quite calming.
But now I understand why you are all so quick with winding and why I'm so slow But i like my single-strand bobbins

But I'll try winding whole skins onto the bobbin, let's see how I deal with it... I can still make them into single strand if I don't like the result!